2018 Piper Seminole for Sale

Price on request

Available now: 2001 Citation Bravo — $2,300,000

Aircraft Specifications

Asking Price
Price on request
Year
2018
Model
PA-44-180 Seminole
Airframe
Under 30 hrs
Engines
2 × Lycoming 180 hp, counter-rotating (PA-44-180 standard)
Engine time
Under 30 hrs (as listed)
Seats
4

Avionics

Description

This 2018 Piper Seminole is a four-seat, light twin-engine piston aircraft offered with price on request. The listing gives a total time of under 30 hours, with engine time under 30 hours and propeller time under 30 hours.

The Seminole (PA-44-180) is Piper's dedicated light twin, built around two 180 hp Lycoming engines that turn in opposite directions, retractable landing gear and a T-tail. The counter-rotating installation removes the critical-engine problem found in many older twins, which is one reason the type is widely used for multi-engine training.

Avionics are listed as a Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck, ADF, DME and a Garmin GTX 345R transponder. The GTX 345R is Garmin's remote-mounted Mode S transponder with ADS-B Out and ADS-B In capability, designed to integrate with the G1000. The presence of ADF and DME alongside the G1000 suits training environments where those receivers are still part of the syllabus.

Serial number, registration, location, interior and paint details, autopilot fit and current inspection status are available on request. Given the very low hours for a 2018 airframe, buyers should ask for the storage and preservation history along with the logbooks.

Consultant's Notes

The short version

This 2018 Piper Seminole for sale is a four-seat light twin with a total time listed as under 30 hours, engines under 30 hours and propellers under 30 hours. As a PA-44-180, it is powered by two 180 hp counter-rotating Lycoming engines. The avionics are listed as a Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck with ADF, DME and a Garmin GTX 345R transponder. The price is on request. Serial number, registration, location, autopilot fit and current inspection status are not in the listing and are available on request. The very low time for a 2018 airframe is the headline, and it is also the first thing to understand before making an offer.

What the Seminole is, and who it suits

The Seminole has been Piper's dedicated light twin since the end of the 1970s. It is a simple, honest airplane: two normally aspirated 180 hp Lycomings, retractable gear, a T-tail and a four-seat cabin. Its defining feature is the counter-rotating installation. Because the propellers turn in opposite directions, there is no critical engine, and engine-out handling is more symmetrical than in older twins. That is why so many multi-engine training fleets are built around it.

So who should buy a 2018 Seminole? Flight schools and training organisations that need a modern multi-engine trainer with a glass cockpit. Pilots building multi-engine time who want an airplane that holds its value in a market with steady demand. Owners who want the redundancy of a second engine for regional trips without stepping into the cost of a larger twin.

Who should not? If you want a fast, high-flying cross-country twin, the Seminole is not that airplane. It is a normally aspirated light twin, so its performance is modest at higher altitudes and its single-engine performance must be respected, as in any light twin. If you need six seats or serious payload, look at larger twins. Better said here than discovered on a test flight.

A 2018 Seminole with under 30 hours: why that needs explaining

Under 30 hours on a 2018 airplane is unusual. A Seminole in a training fleet can fly several hundred hours a year. An airframe of this age with almost no time has, by definition, spent most of its life on the ground. That can be perfectly benign: an aircraft held in stock, a fleet order that was delayed, an owner whose plans changed. But it needs an explanation, and it needs records.

Piston engines that sit are not automatically better than engines that fly. Lycoming publishes calendar-based overhaul recommendations alongside hour-based ones, and engines that run rarely are exposed to internal corrosion if they were not properly preserved. Tyres, hoses, seals, batteries and other rubber and time-limited items age whether the airplane flies or not. The key questions are:

- Where has the aircraft been stored, and was it hangared? - Were the engines preserved according to the manufacturer's procedures during long inactive periods? - How often was it run or flown, and are those runs documented? - Has it been operated at all since delivery, and by whom? - What is the current status of calendar-limited items?

If the answers are good, you may be looking at something close to a new airplane at a used price. If the records are thin, budget for a more thorough inspection, possibly including a borescope of the cylinders.

Engines and propellers

The listing gives engine and propeller time as under 30 hours each. The PA-44-180 uses two 180 hp Lycoming engines, one of them a left-hand-turning variant, with constant-speed propellers. In practical terms, with time this low, the engines are a long way from their hour-based overhaul point. The more relevant limit for this aircraft is calendar time, so ask for the engine logbooks, the preservation records and the date of the last oil analysis, if any.

No engine programme is mentioned. Piston engines in this class are commonly not on a programme, so that is not a concern in itself, but ask whether any warranty from the manufacturer or the original delivery remains and whether it transfers.

One practical point for training operators: an airplane this fresh enters your fleet with almost its full hour-based overhaul interval ahead, which simplifies maintenance planning for years. That is worth something, but only if the calendar side of the records supports it.

Avionics: Garmin G1000, ADF, DME and GTX 345R

The avionics are listed as Garmin G1000, ADF, DME and GTX345R. The G1000 integrates the primary flight display and multi-function display in one system, and it is the standard glass cockpit for a Seminole of this generation. Ask the seller to confirm whether the installation is the original G1000 or the later G1000 NXi, since the two differ in processing, display features and upgrade paths.

The GTX 345R is Garmin's remote-mounted Mode S transponder with ADS-B Out and ADS-B In, designed to work with the G1000. ADS-B Out is a requirement in some airspace, so check how this installation meets the rules where you intend to register and fly the aircraft.

ADF and DME alongside a G1000 are a sign of an airplane specified with training in mind, where those receivers may still feature in instrument courses and checkrides.

What the listing does not mention is an autopilot. Many G1000 Seminoles carry the Garmin GFC 700, and for an owner flying IFR single-pilot it matters. Confirm whether one is installed.

Cabin and condition

The listing does not describe interior or paint. With under 30 hours, both should be close to as-delivered, but storage conditions can affect upholstery, plastics and paint as much as flying does. Ask for recent photos and, ideally, a viewing. The Seminole cabin seats four, with a rear baggage compartment; it is a practical cabin rather than a luxurious one, which is what its buyers usually want.

What to verify before you commit

These are normal checks for any twin, and particularly for one with such low time.

- Year and hours. Confirm the year of manufacture and the current total time from the logbooks; the listing says under 30 hours without an exact figure. - Storage and preservation. Records of where and how the aircraft was kept, and any engine preservation work. - Calendar items. Status of time-limited parts, tyres, hoses, battery and ELT battery. - Inspection status. The listing does not give it. Ask for the last annual or equivalent inspection and what is coming due. - Damage history. Not mentioned in the listing. Ask for a written statement. - Avionics. G1000 or G1000 NXi, software and database status, and whether an autopilot is installed. - Registration and airworthiness. Current registry, certificate of airworthiness and, in Europe, ARC. If the aircraft changes country, factor in export and import steps. - Availability. Confirm exactly which aircraft is being offered, with serial number and registration. - Pre-purchase inspection. At a shop familiar with the PA-44, including a borescope if the preservation records are incomplete.

Frequently asked questions

How many hours does this 2018 Piper Seminole have? The listing gives total time under 30 hours, with engines and propellers also under 30 hours. The exact figure should be confirmed from the logbooks.

What engines does the Seminole use? The PA-44-180 uses two 180 hp Lycoming engines that turn in opposite directions, which removes the critical-engine problem of many older twins.

What avionics are installed? A Garmin G1000 integrated flight deck, ADF, DME and a Garmin GTX 345R Mode S transponder with ADS-B Out and In capability. Autopilot fit is not stated.

Is the Seminole a good multi-engine trainer? It is one of the most widely used multi-engine trainers, mainly because of its counter-rotating engines and straightforward systems.

Why are the hours so low for a 2018 aircraft? The listing does not say. Ask for the storage and preservation history before making an offer.

How many seats does it have? Four, including the pilot.

What is the price? The price is on request. Contact us for the asking price and full specifications.